What Missing A Cut Off Time Taught Me About Trying Something New

I'm going to be honest. My Ironman didn't go the way I wanted it to.

After months of training, early mornings, long workouts, and a lot of time and energy dedicated to getting to that starting line, I missed the cutoff time and wasn't allowed to finish the race.

It was disappointing. Of course it was.

But after having a little time to process it, I'm learning that sometimes the things that don't go according to plan can teach you more than the things that do. And more importantly, what we choose to do with it afterward.

You Don't Have to Be Good at Something Right Away

One of the hardest parts of taking on a new challenge is being okay with not knowing exactly what you're doing.

I've felt that in training. I've felt it in business. And I've definitely felt it behind the chair.

Hair is an industry where you never really stop learning. Techniques change. New methods come along. The way we approach color, extensions, and hair health continues to evolve.

I've been challenging myself to keep learning, even when it means stepping outside of what feels familiar.

That's one of the reasons I'm continuing to invest in education and recently decided to refresh my skills in keratin tip extensions. I'm also continuing to teach extension classes, which has pushed me into a completely different kind of learning.

Teaching requires you to slow down and really understand why you're doing something. You have to be able to explain your technique, anticipate questions, and look at your own process from a different perspective.

And every time I teach, I learn something, too.

The Value of Trying Again

One thing I've realized through all of this is that trying something new doesn't always mean you'll get the result you hoped for the first time.

That doesn't make the challenge a failure.

It means you learned something.

Maybe you learned what you would do differently next time. Maybe you discovered a new approach. Maybe you realized that you actually love the process, even if the outcome wasn't what you expected.

That's something I think about a lot with hair.

When you're working toward a big change, whether that's going lighter, adding extensions, growing out your natural color, or simply getting your hair healthier, the process isn't always perfectly linear.

Sometimes we have to adjust the plan, we need to slow down, or the best thing we can do is take what we've learned and try again.

Why I Keep Challenging Myself

I think it's easy to get comfortable when you find something that works.

But I don't want to stop there.

I want to keep learning new techniques. I want to keep refining my work. I want to keep challenging myself creatively and professionally so I can continue giving my clients the best experience possible.

That might mean learning a new extension method. Taking another color class. Teaching a room full of stylists. Or, apparently, signing up for an Ironman and finding out exactly how much I still have to learn about endurance sports.

Not every challenge will end with the outcome we hoped for.

But every challenge gives us the opportunity to learn something we didn't know before.

A Little Reminder for Your Next Challenge

If you're working toward something right now and it isn't going exactly how you imagined, I hope you give yourself a little grace.

Your hair journey can be a challenge, too.

Maybe you're growing out years of color. Maybe you're trying to find an extension method that works with your lifestyle. Maybe you're learning how to care for your hair differently or finally committing to a healthier routine.

You don't have to have it all figured out.

You just need to be willing to learn, adjust, and keep going.

I'm still learning that lesson myself.

And maybe that's the best part of taking on something new. You don't just find out what you're capable of when everything goes right.

You find out who you are when it doesn't.